Page 97 of The Invitation

“Here we go, miss,” he says, covering me as we run to the doors. I make it and shake my bag, looking down at my white wide-leg trousers and gold silk camisole. “Shit.” Patches of wet everywhere, the material the worst for showing water marks.

“The ladies’ are just through there, if you’d like to use the facilities.”

I look up and find Anouska before me.Double shit.“Thanks.” I give her a tight smile. “Could you do me a favour?”

“A towel?”

“Don’t tell him I’m here.”

She cocks her head. “So you’re not here to see him?”

“No, we’re not ... I’m not ...” For fuck’s sake. “It’s over.” I frown. “Not that there was anything ...”Someone kill me now.I sigh. “I wouldn’t be here, but my bosses chose this of all places for their monthly meeting, and I couldn’t not come.”

“I see.” Anouska nods. “Well, in that case you’ll probably be pleased to hear he’s not here.”

I feel everything in me deflate.Thank God.Now I just need to put him out of my head and focus. I look down my body. And dry off. “Thanks, Anouska.” I leave her and go to the ladies’, dropping my purse by the sink as I thank the hand dryer gods for the super powerful Dyson hanging on the wall. I pull my top out from my trousers and slip it off, dropping it between the drying blades, flapping it as it roars to life. It’s dry in no time at all. Happy, I slip it back on and shimmy out of my trousers, dipping them in and out too, smiling awkwardly at an elderly lady who enters and does a double take at me in a camisole and gold strappy heels. “Rain,” I explain, getting back to the task of drying my trousers.

By the time I’m done, it’s bang on eight o’clock. Which means I’m going to be late. I hurry out of the ladies’, answering my phone to Abbie as I make my way to Evelyn’s. “He’s not here,” I say in answer, knowing she’ll be worried.

“I know, because he was just here.”

I skid to a stop, my blood cooling. “What?”

“He just showed up demanding to see you.”

“Are you joking?”

“No, I’m not fucking joking. I had to prove you were out.”

“How did you do that?”

“I let him stalk round my flat checking all the rooms.”

“Jesus Christ.”

“Fucking hell, Amelia, he wasnotin a good mood.”

Just as she says that, my phone starts beeping. “I told you he has a temper.” I pull my mobile away from my ear and wince. “He’s calling me.” I reject the incoming call and get back to Abbie. “Please tell me you didn’t say where I was.”

“Of course I didn’t! I told him you were on a date.”

My jaw hits the floor. “You did what?”

“I’m joking. I didn’t disclose your location.”

“What did he say?” Jesus, what didAbbiesay?

“Before or after I gave him a piece of my mind?”

“Before.”

“Not much. I asked him if it was true about Katherine.”

“Oh God,” I breathe, as my phone starts beeping again. I reject his call.

“He didn’t confirm it, but he didn’t deny it either.”

“I really don’t have time for this right now.” I get moving, reeling. It’s been two days since I texted him. Why now? “I need to concentrate.”

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